Darlings, what better way to spend your afternoon break than by ragging on some bride-to-be’s choices in the bridal department? It’s what we’re all about here, isn’t it? Criticizing everyone else’s choices? It’s good for the skin.

We thought this collection had a somewhat quiet, understated prettiness about it that we found appealing. Oh sure, it gets a little princess-y at parts, but the bulk of the looks are relatively simple as bridal collections go. Not much to be found in the way of sleeves, but at least it does a good job of avoiding over-the-top poofiness and shooting for chic and sophisticated.

Yawn. I feel like I tried on at least five of those gowns when I was shopping for my dress…5 years ago!

http://twitter.com/stellaphone Stella Zawistowski

Change “5” to “3” and I’ll echo that sentiment.

Anonymous

Agreed. The short dresses are cute though.

Anonymous

The fifth look is my fave. Modern use of lace and a very flattering silhouette.

Overall, I like it and there are a lot of different options for different women, but I don’t love it.

Sobaika Mirza

I rather thought that looked like an old-fashioned nightgown. Or maybe that’s just how my stump ass would look in it. Looks great on the model though.

Anonymous

I tend to gravitate towards a little lace and a flowy silhouette which is why I liked it. With wedding gowns, I judge them by how I think I’d look in them. I guess this is why it is such a subjective industry.

Anonymous

That was my thought, as well. Though the look after that is gorgeous.

http://twitter.com/bredalot Bridget Smith

Hah, that’s my favorite too, but it’s because that’s a VERY Regency dress. Maybe not the lace-as-sleeves bit, but the neckline, waist, and silhouette are. Which I love!

Anonymous

Absolutely Regency. Couldn’t wear it with my boobage, but stunning on someone with a little less in the upper frontal department.

Anonymous

I really like the lace dresses! Everything else seems too over the top, yet boring at the same time…

http://twitter.com/LianaBrooks Liana Brooks

I bet some of those simple flowing ones up top wind up at beach weddings. They’ll be perfect for the pictures.

Sobaika Mirza

Very pretty. I love #17 (looks like something from atop a wedding cake), but #6 is most likely what I’d wear if I went with a white gown. So delicate!

Anonymous

I will never understand why designers put pockets on wedding dresses.

Anonymous

Car keys for that spur-of-the-moment get away. Tampons.

http://twitter.com/angelkutty Rincey

So that you can live tweet your own wedding day. Duh.

Anonymous

I LOVE pockets and if subtle would even love them in a gown (of any kind)
(a mint, anxiety pill (for your Big day), a tissue or small hanky)

Anonymous

Not much in the way of sleeves, but at least we’ve graduated to straps!

I like parts of a lot of them. Can I mix & match?

Anonymous

Can’t imagine much that would be more tedious than looking for/buying a wedding dress. I got married in a purple mini dress from my closet, topped with my designer jeans jacket, paired with black tights and hiking boots – we got married on a bluff overlooking the ocean, south of San Francisco! Having said that, I like the first two short options. Kind of kicky in a designery sort of way.

http://twitter.com/Nancer Nancer

So happy! This takes the bad Vera Wang taste away. Just wish (as an older bride to be) that there were some looks that were a bit more conservative….

Anonymous

As a collection: pretty pretty pretty. As something I’d wear down the aisle (disregarding my complete lack of aspiration to get married): probably not; especially with consideration to the fact that some of those deep necklines and corset-bodices (and price tag, I’m sure) would give my mother a heart attack.

Anonymous

I’m a fuddy-duddy, I know, but sometimes I have a hard time wrapping my head around strapless wedding gowns. And wedding gowns that look like foundation garments. I know, I know — it’s old-fashioned of me, but on the other hand: buying (and wearing) a wedding gown is sort of an old-fashioned endeavor.

Anonymous

i am so over the strapless gowns too & you are NOT old fashioned! i love most bridal gowns but nothing is better than a classic style ala princess grace, liz taylor and currently princess kate.

Anonymous

The strapless look doesn’t bother me too much, though I certainly prefer straps or sleeves. But I definitely hear you about the foundation garment look. Perhaps those brides plan to skip the reception and go straight to the deflowering (if any of them still have a flower).

Anonymous

Well, exactly — if one is going to participate in a ritual in which one is (pretending to be) a virgin, then one should look (or at least dress) like a virgin (and not in the Madge sense of the word). At any rate, that’s what my old fusty “you kids in your strapless gowns get off my damn lawn” side would say.

Anonymous

I can live with strapless (even though I went out of my way to not go strapless when I got married 3 years ago), but the overt bustiers are what get me.

muzan-e

They’re all very … expected.

Which I suppose is the point of a traditional bridal collection. But not for any bride I’d want to be.

Anonymous

Love dress #4 – Might have bought that for my wedding if it had been around six months ago.

Anonymous

I like the first one the best. A lot of them are familiar silhouettes, with the only change seeming to be some beading or some bows.

Sobaika Mirza

What is with the giant net bow on #7??

http://profiles.google.com/gillianholroyd gillian holroyd

What is with the giant net bow on #7, #8, #9, #10, #14, #16, and #18??
ftfy

Anonymous

I know! It ruined an otherwise really fabulous dress.

Anonymous

Boring to downright ugly. Blah.

Anonymous

Some very pretty dresses, nothing earth shattering or groundbreaking. And were you guys being ironic when you said it avoided any over the top pouffiness? Did younot see some of those skirts? Total poufiness but I don’t object to that is the bride has the personality and figure for it and that’s what she wants.

Anonymous

I wouldn’t wear any of them.
I would possible wear the pearl overlay sleeves (6 from bottom) over the 4th from bottom dress.
Also, who wears a thigh high slit and plunging V-neck to a wedding? *Clutches at my pearls in horror.*

Anonymous

“Also, who wears a thigh high slit and plunging V-neck to a wedding?”
Not the bride, one hopes, but her hotter (and bitter) sister? Totally.

Anonymous

That definitely stood out to me as a WTF sort of choice. Like whoa girl! Save some for the husband.

http://www.GiftedCollector.com Nancy Abrams

Please refer to “Brides of Beverly Hills,” the new TLC show. One of the brides on the first show was a porn star who would have loved that dress.

Anonymous

I like the 11th one, only for the fact that it gives a glimpse of the shoe, which so many brides spend $$ on but rarely get seen.

Anonymous

I’m shocked at how much I legitimately like some of these. Normally bridal collections make me want to vomit.

Anonymous

I thought these were very pretty. I loved the fabric of the last two–I like the idea of pre-wrinkled wedding dress. Then you don’t need to worry about keeping it pristine.

Tessa Bartz

Ok… you would THINK at a bridal gown fashion show the models would SMILE instead of scowl. Good God. If I saw a bride that angry coming down the aisle I’d tell her to RUN!

Anonymous

I’d tell the groom to run.

Anonymous

4 is my favorite. Pretty and simple…and not princess poofy or lacey

http://www.facebook.com/CatherineKatz Catherine Katz

Me, too! And the detail will make everyone look like they have a waist!

https://profiles.google.com/104791269167429064986 Judy S

Pockets? For some rice so you can throw it at yourself? For the rings in case the best guys forget them? Cellphone in case you get an urgent call–or want to take a picture? Small revolver in case you spot an ex?

Anonymous

Or a hanky for weeping with joy.

Anonymous

To be fair, if I got married I would want pockets. That way I would have to use my boobs as storage as usual. They are an excellent cell holder.

Anonymous

Tehe – about the cell holder!

I was searching everywhere for my phone – but I had obviously gotten too used to positioning it so I could not feel it… so I had gone out to the lobby and asked someone to dial my cell phone number. Luckily there was a delay in the Ringing… because I had just gotten back into my apartment when my chest started ringing!. NEED POCKETS

http://twitter.com/susanpcollier Susan Collier

#5 and #6 could be considered day-to-evening looks: perfect as a wedding gown AND wedding night nightgown.

Kate Pearce

smile someone? please? its supposed to be the happiest day of your life. And I want sleeves!!!

http://profiles.google.com/laura.jane.ogorman Laura O’Gorman

A lot of these looks look like they’d only work on a 19 year old…or younger.

Anonymous

Maybe they’re for the West Virginia market.

Anonymous

This might be more fun if we knew what the prices were.

Anonymous

Nothing earth shaking, but it is all very pretty and elegant. If you take the tulle bow off #7, that’s what I’d wear if I were getting married. I also like #5 and #11. #21 is lovely in that it isn’t such an exaggerated mermaid bottom. I’m generally tired of those.

Anonymous

These are really pretty, but I tend to like almost anything in a wedding dress LOL.

I am not a fan of strapless (I’ve always had enough boob to make them a PITA), so I appreciate the various neckline/strap treatments they’ve offered.

I think my favorites are the shirred bodice with the criss-crossing beaded belt/halter, and the one with the daisies (it’s delightfully retro and spring-looking).

Anonymous

Not a decent one in the bunch.

http://profiles.google.com/trashilove { edi } ilovetrash

if i had enough money & were forced by the skin of the skin of my teeth to get married again i would rather have one of the distressing vera wangs.

Anonymous

Why can’t these girls smile? They’re getting married for God’s sake!

Anonymous

Why can’t these girls smile? They’re getting married for God’s sake!

Anonymous

Why can’t these girls smile? They’re getting married for God’s sake!

http://twitter.com/BeantownMrs Praggya R. Barretto

Pretty, but I tried some of ML’s previous year’s dresses on when I was engaged and they pretty much only look that good on models (or real people who are modelesque – which is most definitely not me).

Anonymous

I’m so in love with the lighting that I kept forgetting to look at the dresses.

There’s something weird about this collection, I keep think “Ohhh that part is gorgeous but the rest is kinda fug..” Like, I enjoy the bottom of the first one but the top seems wrong and pushing her boobs to the side. I’ll like the top or the bottom but not the whole thing, and some are just way too busy. Also, those bows are totally distracting.

Anonymous

Oh T Lo, you enrich my life in so many ways! I thought the problem with my skin was the effects of aging, but it turns out I just need to criticize people’s outfits more. Thanks for enlightening me!

Although I’m happy to see bridal dresses trending away from the strapless, boring puffy-skirt look, they now seem to be headed in the direction of prom dress. Kudos to ML for trying to make bridal dresses look less traditionally bridal, but she seems to have gone too much toward the generic dress.

Anonymous

The good news is I’m spending my 40’s making up for my misspent youth and my skin is looking better than ever.

Anonymous

Go sunscreen!

Anonymous

Yep. A youth that brought me oily skin and pimples starting at age 9 has resulted in “normal” skin at 60.

michelle shields

Overall, everything is pretty. I see a trend with short dresses, which is cool. I am not a fan however, of those shredded, billowy skirts. It looks like something I blow my nose on. I didn’t like the wrinkled skirts until I looked close and noticed the patterns. Very interesting and different.

Anonymous

5 and 6 from the top are very Lizzie Bennett. Oh, I want! And I want the body that would look cute in them. *sigh*

I love all these gowns, but this is honestly getting a bit ridiculous. Can we get some bridal modesty, please? You’re getting married! You’ve already impressed the guy, you don’t need to dress “sexy” anymore… That being said, some of these looks were gorgeous. I’ll definitely be checking them out.

Anonymous

To reiterate earlier comments, can bridal wear pleas be the exception to the pissed-off model runway look? All these women look like they just found out the groom slept with the maid of honor, but they have to suck it up and go to work so they are either internally dying of grief or ready to kill. Yeah – makes me wanna wear that dress on my big, happy day!

Anonymous

Having vented, I love the 12th one, and I don’t understand the need to put toilet paper all over the bottom of a dress unless you’re at a bridal shower with a “fun” maid of honor.

Some of these lean more toward “prom” than “bridal”, but ALL of them are so much better than that Vera Wang crap from last week.

Cautiously Pessimistic

Much as I loved the lace sleeves on Kate Middleton’s gown, I suspect I’m going to grow tired of them before long.

Anonymous

There is something horribly wrong with the lighting that makes the models look even more gaunt than models usually do. It’s like looking at the Zombie Bridal Collection(tm). Having said that, there’s nothing here I’m taken with except the wrap dress (third from the top–less of a slit, please!). Sleeves, dammit, sleeves!

http://twitter.com/hpenfield Hannah Penfield

The first one is like my dream dress. Nothing too ground-breaking though. Pretty pretty.

Anonymous

Yes…because every little girl’s dream is to look like crumpled tin foil on their wedding day.

Why would anyone in their right mind wear that fabric?! I’m baffled.

MilaXX

Eh’ Thy’re ai’ght. Hate the invisible bows on all of them

Helen C

Whole lot of tissue papers. A few are very fantasy-bride though.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=583505025 Kelley Comfort

Some nice gowns there, but the silly organza bows at the waist need to go. VERY distracting from the overall look.

Louise Bryan

My mom had a nightgown that looked just like look 5, without the petticoats.

In my fantasy wedding wear I get married on New Years Eve and dance in the New Year until dawn with my handsome, sweet, funny, new husband, I would totally rock the first dress, but I would need a white tuxedo jacket to complete the look. It will get chilly standing on the balcony to look at the midnight fireworks.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MN3NQ262BP3YF2RQJ4DYQQBDMA Shalia

Trust me on this one: Pick any other wedding date. I got married the first time on New Years, and not only is everything 500X more expensive for your anniversary, but once you have kids its nearly impossible to get a babysitter for your anniversary.

We should have stuck with our original plan of Halloween.

Anonymous

Points to #1 and #6 for a more modern silhouette. Most of the rest of ‘em make me think what I usually think when I see bridal: “20% off all white fabrics, lace, and trim! Christmas and novelty prints excluded.”

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=630191954 Adina Miller Holmes

So bored with strapless wedding gowns …

I kind of like the 5th one down.

Anonymous

Never been a bride and probably never will be, but I’d take #4 in a heartbeat.

Anonymous

I like a lot of these… they’re very simple but still beautiful. I have to admit, I REALLY like #12 (yah, I like strapless AND poofy… gah!).

btw, did you guys know Leanne Marshall and Carol-Hannah Whitfield both have new bridal collections out recently? Might be a nice what are they doing now post…!

Anonymous

Normally don’t like the tank style but 7 is gorgeous

Anonymous

Like her better than Vera Wang recent offering

Anonymous

May I make a teeny suggestion, TLo? Perhaps in future posts where there are this many photographs, especially of single outfits on models, you might consider numbering the photos? That way when we minions want to discuss, identifying a particular photo will be much easier. I like dress #19 the best but if anyone cares to follow up on that, they have to start at the top & scroll down & count.

Just a thought. You guys do a great job.

#19 is the one with the “dotted swiss” sort of sheer top. Many of the other looks come off to me as Classic Hollywood Dressing Gown style meets modern sensibilities. I can’t get with this whole skin-baring, evening gown look for a wedding dress.

Anonymous

Agree about the numbering. I hate scrolling and counting when I want to check a reference to a look or want to reference one myself.

She could have done without those ridiculously large bows. These are wedding dresses, not presents. And the dresses looked amazing without them. I loved the collection, beautiful, as it should be.

Anonymous

Too much skirt. And when will the mermaid with the pouf at the bottom die, die, die? I do like the one with the glittery criss-cross bodice. Otherwise, there’s nothing new or interesting here.

Anonymous

Like the short ones. Fifth from the bottom only one I thought was a definite OUT. The simpler, the better, and, yes sleeves, please!

Anonymous

This collection has dresses for all ages of brides – though I firmly believe that you must be young to carry off the vast majority of bridal dresse, including these. (A middle aged woman in a bridal gown designed for a 25 yo is the very definition of mutton dressed as lamb.) I do wish sleeves would come back. They can be so chic.

Ann VerWiebe

I question the ability to wear structured undergarments with the first two. Most brides like to keep their nips from showing on the big day…

Laura Osborne

Oh, how gorgeous and ethereal! My very favorite is the first one, though. I can see myself in that. I’m flat-chested just like the model :).

Anonymous

Eek! Some of these models look like death warmed over. A woman on her wedding day should be glowing and smiling. Not to knock thin people or even models; part of this has to do with makeup, the lighting, and their pissed-off facial expressions. Not good. (Some look very pretty though)

Anonymous

The third and fourth dresses are very pretty and flowy.

Anonymous

Not really a fan of looking like you forgot to put fabric over your bustier on your wedding day. Make no mistake, those tops look EXACTLY like the foundation backless torture device I wore under my wedding dress. I will say though that the 4th and 5th entries are my favorite. Something about the 5th makes me love it wildly even though it looks like a nightgown.

http://angryfemur.tumblr.com Andrea Lane

I love the 6th from the last. I love that it’s NOT strapless and that it has a romantic quality without being too drippy.

Anonymous

pretty

Anonymous

meh

Anonymous

I was appreciating the non-traditional shapes of the first 5 or 6 dresses, but then it’s like she couldn’t help herself and the dresses started getting progressively more poofy. Still, at leat there are a few that are not quite the traditional wedding uniform I hate so much, so that’s good news. The fact that there are no sleeves anywhere is a disappointment. First and third were my favorites. I also like 7, but with a less obnoxious bow. I probably shouldn’t like #4, but that bodice has kind of a medieval feel to me, so I can’t help myself.

But I have to ask, would it have killed her to show a few of these in different colors?

Anonymous

That third one down is almost the same exact dress I wore to my senior prom in 1983. I don’t think it is very wedding-y!

http://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/ Karenlibrarian

Weird. Hardly any of them say “bridal” to me, but maybe that’s the trend? The first few looked very bridesmaid (who dresses their bridesmaids in white?); some look like lingerie, and then there’s the corset tops, which I hate. And one of them has a skirt that appears to be made out of toilet paper.

Towards the bottom they got better, but I’m underwhelmed.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IHWCJIMARF4OOW6PQZQS3RFOOA JillK

Putrid. There’s not a single one I’d even buy if it were at David’s Bridal — on sale! #5 looks like she thought she was getting dressed for her wedding night instead of her wedding day.